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2024 WCWS -- Day 4

Two elimination games on the slate today.

UCLA up on Stanford 1-0 T2 on an opposite-field solo-shot by Megan Grant... Grant had a great freshman season at the plate a year ago, but came down a notch this year. The Bruins will need everything they can offensively to possibly come back and win the WCWS... T3, UCLA looking to expand its lead with runners at the corners (after singles by Janelle Meono and Jadelyn Allchin) and two out... Ground-out ends threat... B3, Taryn Kern with a one-out double to the wall in left-center for Stanford to drive in Emily Jones, who had reached on an infield single. All-square at 1-1. UCLA pitching change, with Taylor Tinsley replacing Kaitlyn Terry... After second out recorded, Ava Gall laces a hard line single to right, driving in Kern for 2-1 Cardinal lead... Ground-out ends threat... UCLA down 1-2-3 in T4... B5, Stanford with two straight bunt singles to start off... The power-hitting Kern at the plate... Kern fouling off pitches with a 3-2 count... Grounder to 1B for first out, advancing runners to second and third... Sac-fly makes it 3-1 Stanford... No further scoring in the inning... T6, Bruins down 1-2-3, as Cardinal pitcher NiJaree Canady has retired 10 straight batters... B6, UCLA's Meono with nice running catch in CF, charging into wall, for first out (Meono also made nice catch to close out previous inning)... Cardinal goes quietly... T7, last chance for UCLA... Grant with hard liner to RF, but right at fielder, one out... Foul pop (first-base side) for second out... Savannah Pola up, fouls off pitches on 0-2 count... 1-2 count... Another few foul balls... 2-2 count... HBP on hand... Thessa Malau'ulu with hard single to CF, just evading Stanford SS... Ramsey Suarez pinch-hitting for UCLA with runners on first and second... Grounds out to SS... Stanford advances with 3-1 win, UCLA eliminated...

Florida, which finished second in the SEC regular season, has knocked Alabama, the ninth-place SEC team, out of the WCWS by a 6-4 score... The key developments, in my view, occurred in the top of the sixth inning, with the Gators batting and holding a 3-2 lead (play-by-play sheet). A two-out infield error cost the Tide a chance to hold Florida scoreless in the half-inning. UF capitalized on the opportunity, as Jocelyn Erickson drove one to the seats in straightaway center to give the Gators a 6-2 cushion. It was a cushion Florida would need, as Bama answered with two runs B6. Neither team scored in the seventh... Getting to the WCWS after a tough conference season is an impressive accomplishment for Alabama, especially winning at national No. 3-seed in the super-regionals. But it's Florida that stays alive...

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